Late drama in Bloem as Cheetahs avoid Currie Cup disaster

MATCH REPORT: The Cheetahs have secured their place in this year’s Currie Cup tournament after they recorded a dramatic 32-31 victory over Griquas in the final round of the SA Cup.

Frans Steyn’s side entered the match in a precarious position in the SA Cup standings with 30 points. Only three points separated them from Boland (fourth with 27 points) and SWD (fifth with  27 points).

However, Friday’s victory ensured that those Western Cape teams will have to fight for the final Currie Cup qualification spot and a place in the SA Cup semifinals.

Boland will be at home against Eastern Province on Saturday, while SWD will be up against the Leopards in George.

There was plenty of drama at the Free State Stadium, with Dylan Maart scoring an 83rd-minute try for the visitors. However, replacement flyhalf Liam Koen could not find the direction with his conversion attempt, which handed the Cheetahs the all-important victory.

The Cheetahs applied the early pressure, and they turned down a couple of kickable penalties.

However, they were rewarded in the ninth minute when Louis van der Westhuizen scored a try after Griquas butchered a line-out near their own tryline.

The Cheetahs were in again a few minutes later when quick hands sent Cohen Jasper over in the corner.

It became a 17-0 lead for the home team in the 29th minute after Jaco van der Walt added a penalty goal to his two conversions.

Griquas then silenced the home crowd in the 31st minute with a Tiaan Lange try from a driving maul.

After another Van der Walt penalty, the Cheetahs extended their lead again when Rewan Kruger dived over for the try.

However, Griquas had the final say of the first half, with Conner Mahoney collecting the ball from a George Whitehead kick-pass before weaving his way towards the tryline.

Whitehead could not add the extras, and at half-time it was 25-12 to the Cheetahs.

After losing Alex-Zander du Plessis to a yellow card for a dangerous tackle shortly before the break, the home side found themselves down to 13 men in the 45th minute after Tielman Nieuwoudt was sent to the sinbin for a high shot.

With the momentum on Griquas side, centre Damian Markus found his way to the tryline after a powerful run.

Frans Steyn’s side needed to show more grit, and they did in the 53rd minute when sustained pressure resulted in Munier Hartzenberg going over for the bonus-point score.

Griquas just didn’t go away, and they piled more nerves and pressure on the Cheetahs with Carel van der Merwe powering over for a try in the 63rd minute.

It was a dramatic ending to the game with Griquas camped deep inside the Cheetahs’ half, and the pressure eventually took its toll with Maart going over for a try three minutes after the full-time hooter sounded.

Koen had the opportunity to seal the Cheetahs’ fate, but his conversion attempt went wide.

The scorers:

For Cheetahs:
Tries: Van der Westhuizen, Jasper, Kruger, Hartzenberg
Cons: Van der Walt 2, Jasper
Pens: Van der Walt 2

For Griquas:
Try: Lange, Mahoney, Markus, van der Merwe, Maart
Cons: Whitehead 3

Yellow cards: Alex-Zander du Plessis (Cheetahs, 39′ – dangerous tackle); Tielman Nieuwoudt (Cheetahs, 45′ – foul play)

Teams:

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Cohen Jasper, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Alex-Zander du Plessis, 11 Michael Annies, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Rewan Kruger, 8 Sisonke Vumazonke, 7 Neels Volschenk (captain), 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Aranos Coetzee, 2 Louis van der Westhuizen, 1 Tielman Nieuwoudt.
Replacements: 16 Juan Smal, 17 Matome Molebogeng Manyama, 18 John-Kelly Ifechukwu Okonkwo, 19 Curtley Thomas, 20 Daniel Maartens, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 Carel Jan Coetzee, 23 Ethan Wentzel.

Griquas: 15 Cameron Hufke, 14 Dylan Maart, 13 Damian Markus, 12 Sakoyisa Makata, 11 Conner Mahoney, 10 George Whitehead, 9 Bobby Alexander, 8 Gustav Erlank, 7 Marco de Witt, 6 Phumzile Maqondwana, 5 Albert Liebenberg (captain), 4 Malembe Mpofu, 3 Ignatius Prinsloo, 2 Tiaan Lange, 1 Leon Lyons.
Replacements: 16 Janco Uys, 17 Corne Lavagna, 18 Ntobeko Shezi, 19 Derik Pretorius, 20 Carel van der Merwe, 21 Caleb Victor Abrahams, 22 Liam Koen, 23 Zane Bester.

Referee: Morne Ferreira